Speakers

Building Your Resume (11:00am - 11:45am)

Moderator: Sally Pinon

Melyssa Prince

Director of Marketing, Calloways Nursery

Melyssa Prince, ABC*, is the Director of Retail Marketing for Calloway's Nursery, Inc. She facilitates the advertising, marketing and public relations activities for the corporate marketing department. Throughout her 11 years in the field of business and marketing communication, Melyssa has worked for Chase Bank, American Mensa and a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary where her team earned awards for several advertising campaigns. Melyssa has also worked as a freelance writer, editor and adjunct lecturer. She earned her bachelor's degree in public relations and was granted her master's degree in communication from the University of Texas at Arlington. Melyssa can be reached through her website, www.TPResumes.com

Cheri Butler

UTA "Hire A Maverick"

Cheri Butler holds a Masters Degree in Career Development from John F. Kennedy University and a Bachelors Degree in Education from The Ohio State University (Cum Laude). She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Nationally Certified Career Counselor and has been working in the Career field for over 20 years. She currently serves as Associate Director of The Career Center at University of Texas at Arlington where she has been for 8 years. She has worked in almost every venue as a career professional including in outplacement, vocational rehabilitation, workforce centers, corporate employee development centers and twice in higher education.

Cheri has had the opportunity to travel internationally and has conducted training in Lima and Trujillo, Peru, Beijing, China, Ottawa, Canada and the United Arab Emirates. She has been involved in the supervision of career practitioners for over 10 years and is a Master Trainer in the Career Development Facilitator program. She has served as President of the Texas Career Development Association and as the Director for TCDA on the Texas Counseling Association Board. She is a Past President of the National Career Development Association.

Hope Scott

Hope Scott was appointed Manager of HR Development & Recruiting for Labinal’s North America Wiring and Services Division in 2011. She is responsible for the overall strategy and administration of training, development and recruiting activities for Labinal’s six U.S. locations. Ms. Scott has over 12 years of experience in the aerospace and automotive industries in both Human Resources and Operations Management.

Ms. Scott holds a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management from Dallas Baptist University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication from Oral Roberts University. She has earned the Competent Communicator designation from Toastmasters International, and is currently undergoing certification as a Certified Professional in Learning and Performance with the American Society for Training & Development.

Art of Interviewing (12:30pm - 1:15pm)

Moderator: Cara Jacocks

Cheri Butler

UTA "Hire A Maverick"

Cheri Butler holds a Masters Degree in Career Development from John F. Kennedy University and a Bachelors Degree in Education from The Ohio State University (Cum Laude). She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Nationally Certified Career Counselor and has been working in the Career field for over 20 years. She currently serves as Associate Director of The Career Center at University of Texas at Arlington where she has been for 8 years. She has worked in almost every venue as a career professional including in outplacement, vocational rehabilitation, workforce centers, corporate employee development centers and twice in higher education.

Cheri has had the opportunity to travel internationally and has conducted training in Lima and Trujillo, Peru, Beijing, China, Ottawa, Canada and the United Arab Emirates. She has been involved in the supervision of career practitioners for over 10 years and is a Master Trainer in the Career Development Facilitator program. She has served as President of the Texas Career Development Association and as the Director for TCDA on the Texas Counseling Association Board. She is a Past President of the National Career Development Association.

LaKesha Brown

LaKesha Brown is assistance vice president of change readiness communication at JPMorgan Chase, where she is responsible for the Corporate and Investment Bank’s internal and external communications and marketing.

During her 12-year career, Brown has held various roles in communications, marketing, public relations, diversity and community relations. Prior to JPMorgan, Brown worked at the headquarters of Blockbuster Inc., where she assumed responsibility for communications, diversity and community relations. Brown started her career as a junior account executive for an entertainment PR firm where her clients included best-selling authors, athletes, musicians and actors.

LaKesha holds a Master of Science in Business Management from Texas A&M University at Commerce and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications (magna cum laude, 2001) from the University of Texas at Arlington. During her undergraduate studies, she was a writer for the student paper, The Shorthorn, served as vice president for the UTA student chapter of the NAACP and provided communications and recruitment support for the Office of Multicultural Affairs.

Dennis Veit

Department of Management, UTA

Dennis C. Veit completed thirty-six years providing Senior level Leadership expertise to Fortune 100 companies. During that time he served as Senior Human Resource Executive for over thirty years, and Senior Account Manager for five years. His experience spans all disciplines of Human Resources serving as Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Senior Manager of Recruiting and Staffing, Vice President of Compensation and Benefits, Vice President of Employee Relations, and Senior Vice President of Training/ Development.

His certifications and degrees include a Masters Degree in Organizational Behavior from Texas Christian University, a BBA in Finance from Texas Christian University, and Associates Degrees in Business and Banking/Finance from Tarrant County Community College. He received his Professional Human Resources certification, (PHR) from SHRM and his Certified Relocation Professional certification from the Employee Relocation Council. In addition, he received his Certified Master Trainer certification in Training and Development from Development Dimensions International while receiving his Senior Trainer Certificates from Zenger Miller International, Learning International, Blessing and White, as well as Acclivus Corporation.

The Dos and Don'ts of Using Social Media (11:00am - 11:45am)

Moderator: Mark Tremayne

Orieta Barbetta

Multimedia Producer at Univision, Dallas, TX

Orieta Barbetta is an Interactive Producer for Univision's local station websites. Her main focus is daily video production. She uploads videos daily to several local websites from a variety of newscasts and shows as well as original videos. On a daily basis she also monitors Web searches and Social Media trends for the content development. She has also planned and field-produced digital coverage for Premios Texas, a Univision awards show which has a huge presence in the Hispanic community of Texas.

She is a camera person,video editor, on-air talent, producer, photographer, blogger, translator, trends analyst and many other things on a daily basis, which comes to speak about the diversity of skills and adaptability necessary to succeed in the ever-changing digital media market.

Corey Lark

Director of Digital Communications, Open Channels Group

As director of digital communications at Open Channels Group (OCG), Corey Lark leads interactive and digital strategy for the agency and its clients. Her background also includes event planning, graphic design and media relations. Corey is vice president of Social MediaClub Fort Worth and a member of the Public Relations Society of America andVision Fort Worth. Connect with her on Twitter at @CoreyLark.

Megan Magana

Marketing and Social Media
Coordinator at the Freeman Company

Megan Magaña is the Marketing and Social Media Coordinator at Freeman. Freeman is the premier partner for integrated marketing solutions for live engagements, including expositions, conventions, corporate events and exhibits. In her role, Megan focuses on social media for Freeman’s numerous platforms, as well as providing support for brand management and internal communications.

Megan graduated from UTA with a degree in communication and serves on the board for the Dallas chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. (PRSA). She is a blossoming yogi and a die-hard Dallas Mavericks fan.

Professional Etiquette (11:00am - 11:45am)

Moderator: Geoff Campbell

Emily Hoad

Emily Hoad leads internal communication strategy for Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas and Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Kaufman, part of Texas Health Resources. She ensures nearly 4,000 of Texas Health Resources’ employees are engaged with and passionate about improving the health of the communities they serve. Previously, she worked for Sabre Holdings, the parent company of Travelocity, developing and marketing programs to build the company’s leadership bench strength in 60 countries globally. Hoad is a Past President of the UT Arlington Alumni Association Board, where she built alumni relationships with the campus and community while raising significant funds for student scholarships. She is also active with the Junior League of Dallas and Dallas Junior Chamber of Commerce, as well as serving as Vice President of the Dallas Junior Chamber of Commerce Foundation. As a student, Hoad was active on campus, serving as an Ambassador, a Peer Leadership Trainer and as a member of the Maverick Marauders (formerly the Student Foundation). In 1997 and 1998, Hoad was recognized among the top 10 student leaders.

Linda Levy

No Whining Talent Group

Levy is a principal founder of The No Whining Talent Group. She was among the first female news director in the country and made a reputation for herself overseeing successful turnaround situations in newsrooms she headed. She has been a News Director in markets ranging from large (including the top ten market at KTVT, the CBS O&O in Dallas) to medium (including WKBW in Buffalo, WDSU in New Orleans and KOCO in Oklahoma City) to small (such as KATC in Lafayette, LA).

Erika McMinn

Senior Account Executive, Concussion LLP in Fort Worth

Erika McMinn is a Senior Account Executive at Concussion Advertising in Fort Worth. McMinn’s responsibilities include client relations, strategic planning and day-to-day operations for several gaming and hospitality accounts.

McMinn is a communications professional with 15 years of experience in corporate communications, marketing, sales and advertising. Her extensive experience was developed by working in retail, manufacturing, non-profit, telecommunications and hospitality industries. McMinn has successfully created and implemented a variety of programs and campaigns for everything from food, apparel, furniture, telecommunications and casinos.

McMinn grew up in the DFW area and holds a Bachelor's in Public Relations from the University of Texas at Arlington. She lives in Mansfield with her husband Gordon and their daughter, Paige.

Expectations in the Real World (12:30pm - 1:15pm)

Moderator: Mindia Whittier

Alanna Quillen

Television Reporter at KTVE NBC10, West Monroe, LA

Alanna Quillen is an anchor and reporter for NBC 10 in Monroe, Louisiana. She graduated UT Arlington in December 2011 with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. Right after college, she moved to West Texas to work as an anchor and reporter for the ABC affiliate in Midland/Odessa. While there, she reported on various stories ranging from wildfires in the mountains to a local who was accused of hoarding goats in her backyard.

She took a job offer in Louisiana over the summer, and is now producing and anchoring the weekend newscasts and reporting on stories across the ArkLaMiss during the week. Throughout college, she focused much of her time on internships at NBC 5, CBS 11 and D Magazine, and on student-run publications like The Shorthorn and UTA News.

Patrick Modrovsky

Sports Producer, CBS 11/TXA 21, Fort Worth

Patrick Modrovsky is a Sports Producer at KTVT/TXA-21 in Dallas/Fort Worth. Prior to this, he was a freelancer for nearly four years at FOX Sports Southwest. In his time at the regional sports network, Patrick considered himself a "jack of all trades." Although he started in November 2008 as a Production Assistant, he expanded his skill set to include producing, editing, running tape and shooting on ENG camera. For three years, he served as the Producer of the DQ Big Game of the Week, an Emmy award winning High School Football feature which airs each Friday as part of H.S. Scoreboard Live on the network. Patrick was awarded his first Lone Star Emmy in 2011 for his work on this feature. During his time with FOX Sports Southwest, Patrick also served as an Associate Producer/Editor and Junior Producer for SportsDay On Air, Powered By The Dallas Morning News, as well as serving as an Editor on several other live and live-to-tape shows. Prior to freelancing at FOX Sports Southwest, he served as a Production Assistant with the Los Angeles based FOX Saturday Baseball Game of the Week Pregame Show. He graduated with honors from UTA in May, 2011.

Rick Palmer

Director of Training/Org. Design, Beryl

Over the past 16 years, Rick has partnered with organizations to help create people-based solutions that are aligned with the goals, culture and needs of the organization. In his current role as Director of Training and Organization Development with The Beryl Companies, he is passionate about helping people build great careers. Throughout his career, he has held leadership roles in training, operations, quality assurance and human resources. He has consistently demonstrated success in the education, insurance, hospitality, financial services and healthcare industries. Rick currently serves as President-Elect for the Fort Worth/Mid-Cities Chapter of the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) and is the host of the chapter's podcast. He is also an active member of the Dallas-Fort Worth Organization Development Network. He earned his MA in Speech Communication and BA in Psychology, both from Southwest Texas State University.

Portfolio Preparation (12:30pm - 1:15pm)

Moderator: Lance Liguez

Eva Marie Ayala

Reporter, Dallas Morning News

Eva-Marie Ayala is a veteran communicator with more than a decade in the news business who can provide strong writing, video and social media abilities. She thrives on deadline and is skilled at juggling multiple projects.

She is a newspaper reporter with experience writing content for print and the web, shooting and editing video, and using social media to inform the public about school issues.

Eva has snuck onto an island to cover a hurricane, ran toward the sounds of gunshots during a protest at a state prison and knocked on the doors of accused criminals (don't tell her mom). She has written an array of features and breaking news stories ranging from community supporters fighting to save a school for teen mothers to district spending on lavish hotels during rough financial times to a gorilla being shot by a SWAT team.

She is able to convey complex issues affecting communities -- such as school finance, legislative policy and government spending -- and explain them to mass audiences.

Linda Pavlik

Pavlik and Associates, Fort Worth

Mike Prendergast

Program Director, KLTY-FM, Dallas

Mike Prendergast is the Program Director/Music Director of 94.9 KLTY and has been with the station since 2005. KLTY is a Contemporary Christian station and has the largest audience reach of any Christian station in America. They have also maintained high ratings the last several years including a current #2 ranking in the Metroplex for Persons 6+, Adults 25-54 and Women 25-54.

KLTY recently won its 4th NAB Marconi Award for Religious Station of the Year. Before KLTY, Mike spent nearly 9 years with KVIL (103.7), including time in promotions, production, 9 seasons as Technical Director of the Dallas Cowboys Radio Broadcasts and in programming as the Assistant Program Director. Mike begin his radio career as an intern at KLTY during his senior year of college and recommends all students interested in radio/television get an internship with a local station. Mike is married and has two beautiful little girls.

Keynote Speaker:Jennifer Lanter

Jennifer has extensive media experience and has worked with People magazine, Oprah Winfrey Network, Lifetime, MTV and several other media outlets. Jennifer is passionate about public speaking and loves spreading the "Not So Perfect" message to audiences everywhere.

Jennifer Lanter is the Director of Public Information for the Gladney Center for Adoption and the irreverent cohost for the Not So Perfect Radio Show on 103.7 Lite FM.

Jennifer has extensive media experience and has worked with People magazine, Oprah Winfrey Network, Lifetime, MTV and several other media outlets. Jennifer is passionate about public speaking and loves spreading the "Not So Perfect" message to audiences everywhere.

As a Fort Worth native, Jennifer Lanter received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Texas in Arlington. She began her career in the field of communications and has since dedicated her career to advocating for women and children and making people laugh.

Jennifer strives to live a balanced life embracing her imperfections, laughing at herself and loving her friends and family with her whole heart. She enjoys reading, Pilates, yoga, cooking, gardening, television and working with the youth group at her church.

Jennifer is married to her soul mate and has two children ages 14 and 7. Her dog Bella is also a very important part of her life.